South Africa Higher Ed: A new debate asks whether the country’s higher-education “transformation” has become too focused on access, with too little follow-through into jobs and real outcomes after graduation. Nigeria Broadband Push: The NCC urged faster Fibre-to-the-Home rollout, citing underdeveloped fixed broadband and bottlenecks like permits and coordination as key blockers to a $1tn economy goal. Cyber Insurance for SMEs: Willis expanded its CyMax cyber facility across EMEA with panel capacity and simpler applications, aiming to speed coverage for ransomware, data breaches, and supply-chain incidents. AI in Business Ops: Matrix launched a platform where digital agents run multi-step business tasks, while Meta’s Zuckerberg argued AI should empower workers rather than automatically replace them. Trade & Sanctions: The US removed four Indian firms from Russia-linked sanctions lists, a move tied to OFAC’s SDN updates. SME Contract Financing (Malaysia): microLEAP, CASB and HDC launched an initiative to improve SMEs’ access to financing for government contracts via P2P platforms and support. Port Costs (Ghana): Shippers complained about delayed container evacuation at Tema’s port, saying demurrage and rent penalties are rising even when delays are outside importers’ control. UK/Europe Business Mood: Luxembourg business confidence dipped to its lowest since 2019 amid Iran-war-related uncertainty and reform delays. Japan Growth Target: Japan’s PM set a ¥1,100tn economy goal by 2040, banking on private investment to drive competitiveness.